Hachi's Last Stand
by Quinn and his Quill
Summary: shady dealings in the dead of night -what is Hachi up to?
1. A Secret Meeting

**Hachi's last stand**

**Chapter One**

It was dark in the headquarters of the Orange Star army. Everyone had retired to their beds for the night. Only a madman would be up at this hour. Speaking of which…

Hachi crept through the corridors, as silent as mouse. Very slowly, he sneaked into the map-room of orange star. From here, intelligence was gathered, analysed and dispatched to every corner of Orange Star's lands. How many tanks were available, how many men were on sick-leave, Nell's hip size – everything that was necessary to the success of Orange Star's campaigns was stored here.

Quietly, Hachi turned on a desk light next to him. The main lights would let him see more but for his plan, that would be a bad thing. He crept over to the communication system. He turned it on silently. The screen flickered into life, displaying a shadowy figure.

"Hachi…" it croaked, acknowledging the wiry old salesman standing in front of the screen. It was hard to make out, but the figure wore a black cloak. Smoke circled him.

"…Sturm." Hachi returned. He was conversing in secret with the most hated man in the world. If anyone found out, he could, no, would be court-martialled. But this had to be done.

"I have told you before…call me Lord Sturm." A tone of annoyance crept into the leader of Black Hole's voice. Hachi smirked in defiance.

"I'll never bow to you, not even on my dying breath. We both know that. Now, could we get on with business." Hachi folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

"…Everyone in Wars World knows of your skills. I would like to make use of them. Here is a list of what I require." Sturm wheezed. A fax printed out under the screen. Hachi ripped it off and examined it. After a few moments, he raised both eyebrows and whistled.

"I can see why you need me for this. These would cost a king's ransom anywhere else. What about this one at the bottom?" Hachi asked curiously.

"I want that built exactly to my specifications." Sturm replied.

"A battleship ten times normal size, with an empty deck? I, I, I'll do what I can…but promise you won't attack Orange Star." Hachi stuttered he had a bad feeling about this. A very, very bad feeling.

"I, hehe, promise, Hachi." Sturm rasped, with what looked like a grin on his breathing mask. He turned to walk away from the screen.

"Oh, Sturm," Hachi called innocently.

"Hmm…"

"I believe in getting paid in advance. No money, no toys. Simple as that." Hachi grinned slyly. Grumbling, the Black Hole leader paid the amount into Hachi's offshore holdings account. Muttering a curse, Sturm ended the transmission. The screen went black again. Hachi grinned.

"Pleasure doing business with you."


	2. The Stranger

**Hachi's Last Stand**

**Chapter Two**

A month had passed since Hachi's deal with Sturm, and life in Orange Star was continuing as normal. Nobody had a clue what had happened. They were totally innocent. But all that was about to change.

A stranger approached the Orange star capital city. The Orange Star Headquarters rose up in the distance. The manwas dressed in a strange fashion. He wore a suit like an astronaut's, helmet and all, except it was black. He was no spaceman; he was a Black Hole soldier.

He took of his helmet. There was a whoosh as gas was released. An insane grin spread over his face. His eyes bulged out of his sockets. He cradled his helmet under his arm and walked into town.

The stranger slowly made his way along the busy streets. A lot of people stopped and stared at him. A Black Hole soldier? In their City? That was a violation of a dozen treaties, at least! There was nothing they could do though. Only the military could make the necessary arrests, and a lot of the city's forces were out on combat exercise with CO Max. The stranger walked on.

Soon he had entered the shopping precinct of the city. As with the rest of the city, the skyscrapers here were painted orange, but the streets were filled with bazaars and markets. The precinct had been completely pedestrian-ised a few years back. The streets were packed with people milling between stalls and traders gouging their wares. The stranger walked up to one of the groceries in the street.

"A bushel of apples…" he ordered in a high-pitched giggle. The grocer looked up at him. After a few moments of indecision, he decided money was money, and began weighing out apples for the weird customer.

"There you go-a, that'll be four dollarz." The vendor held out the brown paper bag of apples in one hand, the other hand open for payment.

"…Four dollars." The stranger repeated. He unzipped a pocket on his uniform and fished out a few coins. He dropped four black coins into the grocer's hand and snatched the bag in return.

"Heya, what are you a trying to pull-a, what kinda of money iz this?" the grocer asked indignantly. He examined one of the strange coins closely.

"…Currency of Lord Sturm." The stranger retorted calmly.

"Oha, a wise-a guy, huh? No money, no apples!" the grocer seized his fruit back and threw the coins back at the stranger.

At this point, the stranger began giggling madly. The people shopping near him stopped what they were doing and eyed him worriedly albeit curiously. The grocer took a few steps back.

Suddenly, the stranger pulled out an assault rifle. It was the latest model from Lash Laboratories, designed to kill more people in less bullets than the previous models. At the sight of the weapon, several people screamed and everyone turned to run away. It was too late for that.

The stranger pulled back on the trigger and bullets rained down on the crowd. The grocer, completely riddled, danced like a puppet on a string as more bullets caught him. Several people fell as they tried to run as they were shot in the backs. Blood ran freely down the streets. Some splashed back upon the soldier. He barely noticed, this was too much fun.

The street emptied in a matter of minutes. A lot of stalls were wrecked in the mass stampede of terrified people. The dead and dying lay on the street in pools of their own, and others, blood.

The soldier grinned in triumph. He eased off the trigger, and the bullets stopped. He walked forward to collect his apples. The bag was sitting on top of a display of oranges. He reached out for the apples when a bloodied hand landed on top of them. The corpse of the grocer slumped over the front of his stall, defiant till the end. With a smirk, the stranger brushed the body away and claimed his prize.

Suddenly, a recon jeep and two APCs, all three painted orange, rushed into the street. The recon skidded on two wheels trying to avoid the people who could still be saved. The APCs stopped at the entrance to the street and two medics jumped out from each of them. They rushed from body to body, in an effort to save whom they could. The recon kept going, eventually skidding to a halt a few metres away from the stranger. A youth, wearing orange, oil-stained overalls, leapt from the recon.

"You're under arrest! I am Andy of Orange Star. We do not tolerate psychopathic rampages in our cities!" Andy informed the stranger. It was good thing he hadn't eaten yet. The street was a ghastly tableau of murder.

The stranger grinned and raised his weapon in Andy's direction. Not to be outdone, Andy pulled out his handgun from its holster at his waist. He pointed it squarely at the stranger.

"We can do this the hard way, ...or the easy way. I'll let you decide." Andy grimaced. He was normally quite spirited but today was anything but normal.

The stranger didn't reply. Instead, his insane grin grew even wider and he squeezed the trigger on his rifle. It clicked emptily and the clip fell to the ground. He was out of ammunition.

"Maybe you shouldn't have wasted your ammo on Orange Star citizens!" Andy roared, squeezing the trigger on his gun. Before the stranger could react, a tranquilliser dart had landed in his neck, piercing his suit as if it were tinfoil. The sedative acted fast and he fell groggily to the floor. He was out cold before he landed.

Andy holstered his gun and walked over to the stranger.

"Black Hole? I thought they were laying low at the moment. Humph! Alright, let's bring him in for interrogating."


	3. Interrogation

**Hachi's Last Stand**

**Chapter Three**

The Black Hole stranger awoke in a strange room. He was still feeling groggy after the sedative, and he found it hard to concentrate. The room was barely furnished. Four white walls surronded him, with a large mirror set into the one on his left. He was strapped to a plain white chair and seated at a small white table. Opposite him, sat another man. He was wearing a white coat and a stethoscope. He looked like a doctor.

"Oh, you're awake. In that case, we can begin." The doctor said calmly. He wasn't actually a doctor. He was, in fact, an interrogator for Orange Star, but it was found that suspected spies were at their most revealing in front of medical personnel.

The mirror was actually a one-way widow from the observation room. It allowedinterrogations to be monitored by psychoanalysts, other interrogators and commanding officers. Today, every commanding officer in Orange Star was present in the observation room. Except for Max, who had yet to return from combat exercises. Nell, Sami, and Andy watched the stranger intently. Hachi was counting coins in the back of the room.

"Let's hear what he has to say." Nell whispered thoughtfully.

"Where am I?" the stranger asked, testing the strength of the cuffs that chained him to the chair.

"You're in the infirmary of the Orange Star Headquarters. You've been sent to me for psychological testing." The doctor lied. The stranger looked around the room again.

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"You were in possession of an illegal weapon and opened fire on Orange Star citizens." The doctor explained, trying to stay calm. His sister had been in the street that morning. Now he was face to face with the monster who did this.

"…Oh, yes. I remember now. That was so much fun," the stranger chuckled lightly. He leaned back in his seat and laughed.

"THAT BASTARD! HE ENJOYED IT!" Sami exploded, causing Hachi to start. His coins ran all over the floor. Sami pulled out her machine gun. She would have shot the stranger there and then if Andy and Nell hadn't have restrained her. Picking up his money and pocketing it away, Hachi walked over to the window.

"Calm down, Sami. We're all as upset about this as you are, but we should at least allow this man to finish talking. If we didn't, we would be just as bad as the army to which he belongs." Hachi chided the auburn-haired girl. He was interested in what this maniac had to say. He doubted it would be good news though.

"Don't you feel any remorse for what you did?" the doctor spoke up, a little louder than necessary to cover Sami's explosion. The stranger grinned at the mirror. "Don't you realise how many treaties and pacts you've broken in today's incident? Soldiers of the Black Hole army aren't even supposed to enter Orange Star's lands."

"Yes, we are." The stranger nodded enthusiastically. "Last month, Lord Sturm made an agreement with one of your commanding officers. Orange Star is now a strong ally to Black Hole. Together, they shall vanquish Lord Sturm's enemies."

Hachi's heart sank. He had not agreed to such a radical proposal! Sturm had twisted his words! He shouldn't have expected any less from the leader of Black Hole. He had to leave now before he was discovered.

"There's a consignment of tanks I have to sign for. I'lljust leave now." Hachi lied weakly as he drifted towards the door.

"Don't bother about that, Hachi. Someone else can sign for them. Stay here." Nell commented, barely turning her head. Hachi cursed silently.

"An Orange Star commanding officer? I think you're clearly mistaken." The doctor replied, casting a nervous glance at the mirror.

"No, I know I'm right. It was the CO, Hachi."

There was a stunned silence in the observation room. Even the minor staff in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at the veteran CO. Nell, Sami and Andy stared at Hachi incredulously. Hachi could only turn his face away.

"Tell me it's not true, Hachi, tell me it's not true." Andy pleaded. After some time, Hachi lifted his head.

"We have, and never will have, a pact with Black Hole." The three COs breathed deep sighs of relief, "Although…I did sell armaments and weapons to Sturm." Everyone stared at him in disbelief. This was the same man who led Orange Star single-handedly against such evils in his youth.

"But why?" Nell asked. Just as Andy considered her his mentor, she regarded Hachi as her mentor.

"I couldn't help myself. I'm in love with money. Its colour, its lustre, its beauty. There is nothing better than feeling it run through my fingers." Hachi explained in a quiet, chagrined voice. "Ever since Sturm was defeated last year, it's been very dull. No one needed my wares or skills anymore. So when Sturm contacted me for business, I thought it was my chance. My chance to feel alive again. Believe me, I never dreamed something like this would happen."

"Hmm. Once we've dealt with this, this…madman, expect a very severe court-martial, Hachi. We can only count our blessings that this was only one man, on one day." Nell rebuked the old CO. The report had reached her just before the interrogation began. Some people _had_ survived the incident. They were being treated in the civilian hospital right now.

"I think you should also make a public apology to the people of Orange –" Andy added. Before he could finish though, an Orange Star intelligence officer burst into the room. The man was panting heavily. There was a terrified look in his eyes.

"Commander Nell! Commander Nell! Important Intel!" the man reported frantically. He clutched a field report in his hand. He was shaking badly.

"Calm down, soldier. What is it?" Nell replied soothingly, trying to placate the anxious soldier. She took the report from him and read over it. She paled at the news.

"CO Max's forces have been routed! There's barely anything left!" the soldier reported hysterically.

"By who? Who is responsible for this attack, private?" Hachi asked; his self-pity replaced by concern for his comrade. Andy and Sami cringed and winced as Nell passed them the report.

"Black Hole, sir."


	4. Saving Commnader Max

**Hachi's Last Stand**

**Chapter Four**

"CO Max's forces have been routed! There's barely anything left!" The soldier reported hysterically.

"By who? Who is responsible for this attack, private?" Hachi asked; his self-pity replaced by concern for his comrade. Andy and Sami cringed and winced as Nell passed them the report.

"Black Hole, sir." The soldier's words echoed around the room. No one could believe it. No one wanted to believe it. Like cockroaches it seemed; Black Hole just kept coming back, no matter how hard they tried.

"This is all my fault…it's my fault" Hachi leaned against a wall for support. He was crestfallen. He lowered his gaze. He just couldn't face anyone at the moment.

"There will be time for regrets later, Hachi. Right now, we have to repel Black Hole's forces and save Max! I'm going to deal with this matter personally." Nell informed the dejected CO. She strode out of the room briskly. Andy and Sami followed her at her heels. Hachi trailed behind. The four COs walked into a ready elevator. Nell pressed the down button.

"Nell, you can't go!" Sami pleaded. "What if something happened to you out there?"

"Yeah, let me go in your place! I should take care of Black Hole!" Andy begged. Nell just looked straight ahead, ignoring the both of them.

The elevator doors opened again and the COs stepped out onto the tarmac. They stood in a vast compound behind Orange Star headquarters. All the service-ready vehicles and companies of men were assembled here. Once the alarm of an attack had been announced, all the city's available forces had been rallied here. The vehicles shone orange in the sunlight. Nell walked forward and began shouting orders at different units while Andy and Sami still tried to make her consider another option.

"I want fifty Medium Tanks ready to move by the gates! Move those Rockets into position! Corporal, have your Tanks cover the heavier units!"

"Please, Nell! Just think about what you're doing!" Andy beseeched, raising his voice just to be heard over Nell's orders.

"Andy, is that Neo-Tank ready yet?" Nell asked calmly.

"What? Uh yes, it's over…no, please listen to what we have to say!" Andy was thrown by the sudden question. Nell stopped and turned to the other COs for the first time.

"I have. I have listened to what you've both said. I'm touched that you're worrying about me, but this is my mission. Max and I, we share…a deep emotional bond between each other. I have to go." Nell explained to them. She ruffled Andy's hair affectionately and squeezed Sami's shoulder. Then she grabbed her helmet that a private had brought and dashed across the courtyard. She scrambled into an Orange Star Neo-Tank, the city's only one, and led the sortie out of the compound, out of the city, and out into battle.

* * *

Max loved a good fray, even at the worst of times, but this was something else. This wasn't even a battle – it was a tragedy. Early in the morning, he had led a small band of Tanks and Anti-Air guns on a simple combat exercise. Then, when they were about to return to the city, dozens of Tanks and Medium Tanks surrounded them on the plain. They were all black, with Black Hole insignia written on their sides. Before Max could give a single command, his forces were decimated.

His Tank had just managed to get an urgent communiqué out before their communication systems were blitzed. Probably Lash's work, he thought grimly. Now he was just trying to survive. His Tank and a few others were trying to dodge cannon-fire as best they could. Tanks aren't the most manoeuvrable vehicles and they were slowly being beaten. It was only a matter of time before they were destroyed or the machines packed up completely.

He knew there could be no peaceful truce, or merciful surrender. Black Hole could hardly be called human. No, they would only stop when there was nothing left.

"Good work, men! Keep it up!" Max tried to be encouraging, but inside his own morale was flagging. He peered out of his Tank's windows. He could just see the capital in between two Black Hole Medium tTanks. That was when he saw something amazing happen.

In front of the foremost buildings, stood a line of Rockets. They hadn't been there when Max left. He almost laughed when he saw thet they were painted orange! Then, as one, they all fired. Max watched as the projectiles arced through the air. Black Hole didn't have a clue, and now they didn't have a prayer! They crashed down on the powerhouse Medium Tanks. Some Tanks avoided the rockets but their slower, bulkier counterparts didn't stand a chance. Out of the dust that was thrown up, Max saw something approach them.

"What do you see, Sir!"

"A miracle!"

* * *

After the initial volley by the Rocket units, Nell's brigade of Medium Tanks and Tanks (led by her Neo-Tank) charged forward. When they were in position, all the units stopped. They waited for the command. They didn't have to wait long. Nell climbed out of her Neo-Tank, so everyone could see her. She surveyed Black Hole scrambling into formation for a moment. She slowly raised her arm.

"FIRE!" she screamed, dropping her hand. In unison, all the tanks loosed off their shot. The faster Tanks that had avoided the initial fire were caught and destroyed in this round.

When the smoke cleared, Nell ordered all the units to move in and attack again. They would soon save Max. Nell commanded her driver to circle the battlefield. Max had to be here somewhere.

Suddenly she spotted his Tank. It had run out of gasoline and was a sitting duck in the middle of the field. Max was cautiously looking out of his tank.

"Look! Over there!" Nell urged the Neo-Tank forward. "Max! Max!" Nell waved towards the burly CO. Max turned and looked in her direction, surprise and delight lighting up his features.

"Nell!" He laughed. He shouted something encouraging to the men in the tank now that his own morale was high again.

Suddenly, everyone in both tanks froze as a deep rumbling sound came from behind Max. Nell's eyes widened in horror. Max turned to look and instantly wished he hadn't. A group of ten Black Hole Medium Tanks came up behind the small orange Tank. They had avoided both attacks and had separated themselves from the main fighting. All ten of them were in perfect condition.

There was an edgy silence as they swung their huge cannons towards their target: Max's tank! Nell gritted her teeth.

"MAX, JUMP!" she shrieked as her Neo-Tank shot forward.

There was the clinking sound of metal on metal as ten Medium-bore shells were loaded.

Max grabbed the other two men in his small Tank and threw them onto the approaching Neo-Tank.

Sights were adjusted, prayers and curses were made…and then they fired.

"Nell!" Max roared as he jumped free of his own Tank, a split second before it exploded into oblivion. The Neo-Tank pulled an abrupt u-turn; almost throwing off the people it had saved, and sped away as fast as it could. Max screamed as fire and shrapnel alike tore into his back. The ten Medium Tanks, having brought the full attention of Nell's forces in their attack, were surrounded and completely routed. Nell reached for Max's giant hand and stroked it reassuringly.

"It's okay, Max. We've won. We'll get you home soon, I promise." She comforted him as he grimaced in pain.

"Message for you, ma'am." A soldier passed the communication headphones in Nell's open hand. She brought it up to her ear and listened.

"OH, GOOD GRIEF! IT'S AWFUL…CRZZZ…CO NEL…L…ARE YOU THERE…CRZZZ?" The voice crackled frantically over the headphones.

"Yes…what on earth is the matter?" Nell asked. This man seemed even more hysterical than the last. It just wasn't a good day for Orange Star.

"IT'S…OHH, IT'S…YOU'D BETTER SEE FOR YOUR…CRZZZ…SELF, MA'AM! RETURN…TO THE …CITY…ASAP!" The voice replied, then the line went dead ominously.

"I didn't like the sound of that," Max sighed weakly, clinging for dear life onto the side of the Neo-Tank.

"No, neither do I."


	5. The Battleship

Hachi's Last Stand 

**Chapter Five**

Under Commander Nell's orders, the victorious sortie returned as fast as possible to the Orange Star capital city. Nell wasn't sure if a crowd of people had come out onto the streets to welcome them back; frankly she couldn't care.

The frantic albeit cryptic message from the city after their victory over Black Hole had shaken Nell badly. Only by constantly trying to reassure Max, who was slowly losing consciousness, kept her from showing her unease. Hopefully, one of the other COs knew something more about this new quandary.

The orange Neo-Tank skidded to a halt in front of the main elevator of Orange Star headquarters. The elevator doors opened and two Orange Star medics wheeled out a medical stretcher. Nell shouted orders to the soldiers around her to carry Max onto the stretcher. Once he was suitably tied down to the stretcher, the stretcher and the two medics dashed away to the military hospital nearby.

Nell strode into the elevator and pressed the "up" button. The lift shot skywards. Nell pressed the intercom button. It provided a direct link to the Map-Room. Hopefully, at least one of the other COs was there now.

"Sami…Andy…Hachi…can anyone tell me what's happening?" Nell spoke into the intercom. There was a crackled, incomprehensible reply. Nell rolled her eyes. Landline communications from the elevator was tricky at best because the elevator was always moving. She would be in the Map-Room before she would get an intelligent reply.

Proving her right, the elevator doors slid open at the Map-Room level. She walked out and down the corridor, towards the big, double doors. They had been flung wide open for the endless amount of staff milling to and from the Map-Room. She walked briskly inside.

Inside, Sami was rushing around the map-board, which displayed necessary terrain and relief in 3D holographics, like a madman. It was slowly forming an image in a green lattice but it would still take some time. Andy was working busily at the communication system, trying to hail someone…anyone with useful intelligence. Hachi was standing near the window. He had been holding binoculars but he had dropped them and hadn't picked them up.

"What's happening, Sami?" Nell asked. Sami stopped and looked at her. For a moment, she looked relieved that the senior CO had returned. That look was soon replaced by chagrined expression as she pointed to where Hachi was standing.

Nell walked over to Hachi, bent down and picked up his binoculars. She peered through them to see what he was staring at. She dropped them as soon as they had focussed. She couldn't believe her eyes.

There was a Black Hole Battleship in the city's port. It was just sitting there as if it owned the place. Normally, one Battleship would be child's play to deal with, even if it was Black Hole, but this one was ten times the normal size! It filled the entire dock! It was as big as an entire city precinct! There was a lot of commotion going on on the Battleship's deck. Something very large was covered with a giant shroud, as workers, no bigger than ants from here, hurried about it, welding that, fixing that.

"I should have seen this coming…" Hachi muttered to himself. He didn't seem as lost in self-pit as when Nell left. Now he seemed to be extremely angry or upset with himself.

"What? You should have seen what coming, Hachi?" Nell prompted the old Co, leaning closer to him. He looked at her with sad, forsaken eyes.

"I've hailed Sturm!" Andy announced, snapping Hachi out of his bitter reverie. The four COs, and a few other ranking staff, gathered around the communication system's screen. Sturm appeared on the monitor, in front of the giant shrouded object on the Battleship's deck.

"…Greetings, worms." Sturm wheezed. "You still refuse to bow to me, hmm? No matter, soon all shall worship me as their master. I should thank my loyal servant, Hachi, for my custom-built ship…"

"I'LL NEVER BOW TO YOU STURM! I MADE A MISTAKE!" Hachi exploded at the display. He turned his anger away from himself and towards the infamous Black Hole leader. "I THOUGHT WE HAD A TRUCE!"

"…You should know I never keep my promises. They are only words, meaningful only to curs like you." Sturm retorted acidly, a sadistic grin twitching on his mask. "…Do not try and destroy my Battleship. It would be a forlorn hope. Lash has rebuilt the hull out of her alloy, like the Black Cannons. You would not want to try my patience. Lash, uncover the weapon…" he called to someone off-screen. The demented child genius appeared next to Sturm.

"Right away, Lord Sturm, " she chirped insanely. She made a big show of pressing a button on remote control in her hand. As she did so, the giant shroud fell away from the clandestine object.

Everyone turned their heads to look at the Battleship sitting in the dock. Several people rushed to the windows of the Map-Room. There were several gasps of shock and horror and more than one person fainted. Attached to the deck of the behemoth Battleship, was Black Hole's pride and joy, a Death Ray.


	6. Rise of the Eagle

**Hachi's Last Stand**

**Chapter Six**

Jess stormed through Green Earth Headquarters, urgent intelligence in her hand. Minor staff of green Earth shied away from her. It was not safe to be in Jess' path when she was like this. She was too serious for her age. The only person who could handle her when she was in one of these moods was Eagle, and even then it was stalemate.

Jess approached the double doors of the Green Earth Headquarters' inner sanctum. During peacetime, at least one Commanding officer had to be present in the sanctum at all times. She rapped curtly on the polished wood, awaiting a response.

There was no reply.

A vein bulged on her temple. In a fit of rage, Jess kicked out violently at the doors. They flew open, revealing the office within. Papers and documents were strewn all over the floor, punctuated with broken glass. The room was in total disarray, something she would never allow on her shift. In the middle of the clutter was the person she was looking for.

Eagle lay prone over the desk, his head resting gently on one of his hands. The other hand clutched protectively a (nearly empty) bottle of scotch. Eagle snored lightly, dead to the world around him.

Jess coughed awkwardly. Eagle slept on. Changing tact, Jess slammed her fists down on the desk and roared "EAGLE!" The Green Earth flying ace woke up with a start, shooting back into the worn fabric of his chair. He clutched his head and blinked painfully, his rheumy eyes adjusting to the light.

"Jess?" he croaked as he looked up at the furious Green Earth CO towering over him.

"You've been drinking again, haven't you?" Jess asked, worryingly calm. Eagle rubbed his stubble-covered chin and stared at the scotch bottle on his desk, trying to remember last night, or indeed the past few days. It was all just one big alcohol-fuelled blur. He nodded sheepishly.

"A few bottles," he replied in a quiet voice. "It doesn't matter. Since we defeated Black Hole, the Green Earth army has been nothing more than a glorified police force. There's nothing to do. It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does matter, Eagle…look at this field report." Jess retorted acidly, shoving her papers under his nose. Eagle glanced at her, and then turned his gaze on the intelligence. After a few moments, he put them down on his desk and pushed them away from him.

"So what. A few Black Hole aircraft have been spotted in our skies. Can't Drake handle them? He's been asking for an increase budget for the navy; let him earn it. Surely Drake can handle a few Fighters." He sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Drake…can't. He's in the infirmary after eating a whole portion of bad prawns. He can barely move, let alone command a naval sortie. That only leaves one option; you. AND YOU'RE DRUNK!" Jess explained violently. Eagle physically recoiled from her, grabbing his ears as his eardrums threatened to burst.

"Fine, I'll go. It will be good to be back in the cockpit once again." Eagle shakily got to his feet, stumbling through the sea of documents on the floor. Wearily, he pushed the doors open.

All of the soldiers milling around suddenly froze. They stared at their dishevelled leader for a moment. Then as one, they stood to attention in two rows lining the corridor. As one, they saluted valiantly.

This had an extreme sobering effect on eagle. This display of loyalty by his troops brought tears to his bloodshot eyes. This wasn't an empty drill of obedience; this was a sincere sign of devotion.

Eagle stumbled down the corridor, looking around at the faces of his men. This filled him with renewed confidence. Before he was halfway down the corridor, Eagle had tidied his stride and was marching with pride again. At the end of the corridor he spun around on his heels to face his men.

"Men, I…I…" unable to find the words to describe the deep emotions he felt, Eagle smirked and silently saluted. Then he turned to run down the stairs to the airfield.

Jess watched all of this from the inner sanctum. There just wasn't the word to explain Eagle. Smiling to herself, she closed the doors to the sanctum and began to tidy up.

* * *

The Green Earth Flying Core had been in a similar position to Eagle after Black Hole had been defeated. But whereas Eagle had been confined to an office to idly shift paperwork, they had been given no assignment whatsoever. Because of this, they had basically whiled away the months playing cards in the mess hall. Most of them couldn't stand the boredom and went A.W.O.L. This left only one Squadron in the airfield when the bells rang.

As one, the entire squadron lifted their heads at the sound of the bells, like a dog that has caught a scent. Excitement in their eyes, they frantically scrambled to their aircraft. The polished Green Earth fighters were waiting for them on the field. There was a single man standing by them. The Squadron froze as they recognized the figure.

"Commander Eagle, Sir?" one soldier blurted out, saying aloud what everyone else was thinking. Eagle crossed his arms.

"That's right, soldier. I'm leading this sortie. Black Hole has invaded our air space. We cannot let this go unchecked. You see that building over there?" Eagle replied. He pointed to the Green Earth Headquarters rising up in the distance. The Squadron nodded, unsure of what an eye-test had to do with Black Hole. "Every single person in that building, and everyone in Green Earth are counting on us. Are we going to let them down?"

"No," came the reply.

"I can't hear you!" Eagle roared. He certainly knew how to bolster his men.

"NO!" the men bellowed in a furious unison.

"That's what I like to hear! Now, to the skies!" Eagle raised his hand skyward. The Squadron cheered and rushed forward. They quickly clambered into their pilot seats, ready for take-off. Eagle followed suit, climbing across the wing of his own Fighter and into the cockpit. Just before he gave the order to fly, Eagle took two things out of his tunic and laid them on the dashboard.

One was a photograph of Sami, at the barbecue after Black Hole was defeated. She was smiling genially, with barbecue sauce staining her vest. Eagle thought back pleasantly to that moment, if only for a second.

The other object was his father's goggles; Eagle never flew without them. They were the only things Eagle had left of his father. What would his father say if he could see Eagle now?

"For Sami and for Father," Eagle whispered to himself. "LET'S FLY!"

* * *

The Squadron of Fighters soon found the enemy forces. They were the only other things on radar; they were the only other things in the air. Eagle grinned when he counted their numbers. Even with their diminished force, Green Earth still out-numbered Black Hole, almost two to one.

There was something odd about Black Hole's formation though. It wasn't the standard flying pattern. It was as if they were escorting something, like a convoy. Eagle put such trivial thoughts out of his head and concentrated on the impending battle.

Both groups were all flying above the clouds. Eagle likes it like this. It seemed like a whole new world at this height, just for Fighters.

"Orders, Sir?" a voice crackled over the radio. Eagle thought for a moment then picked up the microphone.

"Delta pattern; follow my lead." Eagle announced briefly. In what seemed like no time at all, the Green Earth Fighters were assembled in the classic formation. Seeing the line of planes to his right and left, Eagle increased his thrust and darted forward. Let the battle begin.

In their first pass, Eagle's Squadron fought keenly and accurately. Two Black Hole Fighters fell from the sky, and several more were smoking. This would be all over soon.

"Good work, men. Let's try another pass. Sound off." Eagle congratulated heartily.

"Ace 1, over,"

"Ace 2 is alright,"

"Ace 3, a-ok,"

"Ace 4, looking good."

Then, when Aces 5 though 11 should have answered, there was just static. Eagle frowned and adjusted his radio.

"Calling Aces 5 through 11; where are you?" Eagle asked, tapping his radio.

"There's no sign of them, Commander," a voice crackled over the radio, not one of the seven Eagle wanted to hear though.

"Never mind, they must have got lost …or something. Attempting second pass." Eagle muttered half-heartedly to his four remaining pilots. They carried the sentiment, trying to mask their anxiety.

The remaining Fighters made another successful pass over the Black Hole aircraft. Three more planes went down with the final Fighter beginning to smoke. Something was definitely odd. Black Hole didn't seem to care or mind that they were losing the battle. They hadn't even fired a single missile yet.

"This fight is nearly won now, men. One more pass, I think. Sound off." Eagle said enthusiastically, despite these several oddities pressing down on his mind.

"Ace 1, still here," Eagle's second replied. Then the ominous static again. No Ace 2, 3 or 4. What was going on here?

"Ace 1, can you see any of our comrades behind us?" Eagle asked, peering out of his own window.

"No, sir. There's nothing except …WHAT THE HELL IS THAT! ARGGHHH!" Ace 1's line suddenly went dead. His plane disappeared from Eagle's Radar.

"Ace 1? ACE1!" Eagle screamed. He quickly wheeled his Fighter around to face the final Fighter head on. He checked his missile count. The display read zero. No missiles meant no attack. Not today, not for Eagle.

Eagle pushed his thrust to the maximum, accelerating like a bat out of hell at the rival plane. Guessing his intention, the Black Hole Fighter sheepishly turned and dived into the clouds.

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" Eagle roared, chasing after it like a madman. There was a moment of blindness as he passed through the clouds and then the enemy was in sight again. He was almost upon it. He grinned with vengeful glee.

Eagle's smile dropped away as he saw beyond his prey. It turned to a look of terror as he saw the enormous black behemoth, as he realised what had happened to his squadron, as he realised what was going to happen to him in a matter of seconds.

"Oh…" was all he managed to mumble before the massive ball of flaming energy engulfed the Green Earth Fighter.


	7. Of Swords and Sonja

**Hachi's Last Stand**

**Chapter Seven**

"Sonja-Chan, Where are you, Sonja-Chan?" Emperor Kanbei marched worriedly through the Yellow Comet Headquarters. He had feared the worst had happened again. His fears were dispelled when an irate Asian girl with a long black ponytail appeared at the end of the corridor, at the top of a flight of stairs.

"Father, you know how much I dislike that name. You have to stop worrying about me. I am capable of looking after myself now. You need to focus on more important matters." Sonja chided her father as she walked down the stairs to meet him. On the final step, she caught her foot and fell forward onto the floor. Kanbei immediately rushed forward and helped her to her feet.

"Dearest Sonja-Chan. You are the most important matter of my life. I will never let you come to harm." He remarked warmly. He glanced down at her wrist; there was a thin line of blood dripping down her uniform. "What is this? Blood?" his eyes went wide with shock. "Prepare the Infirmary! Ready the medics! My daughter is critically hurt!"

Dozens of Yellow comet personnel rushed out from their respective rooms to lend a hand with the crisis. When they saw Sonja standing of her own will, perfectly fine, they tutted and sighed and returned to their work. Sonja took a petite white handkerchief from her chest pocket and tied it around her wrist. The blood quickly dried up and stopped.

"Father, you must stop over-reacting at every little thing. The troops will lose their respect for you if you continue for much longer." Sonja rebuked the Emperor sternly. Kanbei looked at her guiltily. In his heart, he knew what she said was true. But he loved her too much to admit it.

"Sonja-Chan…" he began.

"Sirs! Black Hole are launching an offensive in a port-city. They will have captured in a week. We have to move fast!" A Yellow Comet soldier approached them with a communiqué in his hand. He was panting and sweating heavily. "What are your orders, Emperor?" Kanbei moved to read the brief, but Sonja snatched off him before he could do so. She read it over swiftly.

"I shall commandeer this mission," She announced stubbornly, much to the surprise of Kanbei and the Soldier. "I want Recon and Infantry units fuelled and ready to go right away,"

"Sir," after a moment of thought, the soldier replied and saluted. He dashed off down the corridor to relay the orders. Kanbei watched him go, and then he turned to Sonja.

"Sonja-Chan, I cannot allow…"

"Father!" Sonja retorted irritated. Did he ever listen? "I will prove to you that I am worthy of this army." She stared at hi with fire in her eyes. Kanbei was silent for some time after this. He had to turn away as tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"I will let go, my Daughter, but first, take this." Kanbei answered slowly and purposefully. He removed his sword and sheath from his belt and ceremonially passed it to Sonja. Sonja seemed more than a little confused. "I promised myself that I would hand this to my future heir. I also promised your late mother that I would pass this sword on to you. Today, you are ready, Sonja-ch- Sonja,"

"Father…" For once in her life, Sonja was lost for words. Handling it gently, she attached it to her belt. It was quite loose; her father was a big man. She rested her hand on the hilt of the sword, feeling the power resting in the blade.

"Now, you must lead your troops. Lead them into victory." Kanbei returned to business. Sonja nodded then gave a formal salute. She hurried down the corridor to where the troops would be waiting for her, the sword slapping against her thigh.

"Goodbye, Sonja-Chan," Kanbei whispered as she disappeared from sight.


End file.
